Yankees give Suzuki grand welcome, rout Red Sox

New York Yankees' Raul Ibanez hits a two-run home run during the first inning of the baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in New York, Friday, July 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NEW YORK — Curtis Granderson and Yankees fans gave Ichiro Suzuki a grand welcome to the Bronx.

Raul Ibanez and Russell Martin hit two-run homers, Granderson capped the scoring with an eighth-inning grand slam and New York powered past the Boston Red Sox 10-3 on Friday night.

In Suzuki’s first game wearing Yankees pinstripes, Phil Hughes (10-8) gave up three solo homers but little else in seven innings to help the Yankees beat Boston for the sixth time in seven games this year — New York’s best start to a season against the Red Sox since opening 6-0 in 1994.

The rivals were meeting in the Bronx for the first time this year, the latest in a non-strike season the team’s have met at Yankee Stadium. New York was returning from a rough 2-5 trip in which the Yankees lost Alex Rodriguez to a broken hand. The Red Sox had won just once in six games coming in. The loss dropped them to 49-51.

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With the Red Sox foundering in last place in the AL East and David Ortiz and Rodriguez on the disabled list, it felt as if the rivalry had lost some of its luster. Suzuki’s presence helped give the game some buzz.

The 10-time All-Star was dealt to New York during its visit to Seattle on Monday. He started in right field and batted eighth Friday. Suzuki was met with a sustained ovation followed by chants of “Iiiichiro,” when he came up for the first time in the second inning. He hit a fly to center field.

In his second at-bat, he singled and scored on Martin’s two-run homer to left field off Aaron Cook (2-4). Suzuki finished 1-for-4 and scored twice, including his first run with the Yankees.

Almost as if they were toying with Boston in Bobby Valentine’s first trip to New York as a manager since he was fired by the Mets in 2002, the Yankees scored in the bottom half of each of the three innings the Red Sox homered.

Dustin Pedroia gave Boston the lead with a drive to left off Hughes on a full-count pitch in the first. But Ibanez followed with a two-run shot in the bottom half when the Yankees scored three times after the Red Sox failed to turn what could have been an easy inning-ending double play.

With runners on first and third and shortstop Mike Aviles behind second base in a shift, Mark Teixeira hit a routine grounder to second baseman Pedroia. He made a quick toss to Aviles, who was slow to make the turn and Teixeira beat the throw. A run scored and Ibanez then hit a line drive into the first few rows of the short right field porch.

In the third, Carl Crawford connected for the first time this season — in his 10th game — after missing the first 90 because of wrist surgery and several setbacks. Teixeira had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.

The catchers traded long balls in the fourth. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit his 20th of the year. Martin responded with his 11th for a 6-3 lead.

Hughes retired 10 of his final 11 batters, allowing only a walk to Jacoby Ellsbury in the fifth. Overall he allowed five hits and one walk. Hughes struck out five. The three homers gave him 25, tying him for the major league lead with Seattle’s Jason Vargas.

Cook gave up six runs and seven hits in four innings for Boston.

Granderson connected for the Yankees seventh grand slam this year off former New York reliever Mark Melancon.

NOTES: In the 1981, strike-interrupted season, the Red Sox first played in New York on Sept. 11. ... Ortiz had his walking boot removed and tested his strained right Achilles by taking batting practice before the game. ... Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said RF Nick Swisher (hip flexor) might play Saturday. ... Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain (dislocated ankle) is scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Double-A Trenton on Sunday.